The electronic voucher (e-voucher) system under the Farmers Input Support Programme (FISP) will be fully implemented in North Western province in the 2016/17 farming season, Solwezi district agriculture coordinator Miyobo Shimabale has said.

He was speaking at the sensitisation meeting for farmers at IFAD hall.

Mr Shimbale said the e-voucher system was an alternative way of providing subsidised support to targeted beneficiaries using an electronic system.

He said the e-voucher was expected to improve timely access to inputs by small scale farmers and will be implemented in Solwezi and Mwinilunga districts respectively.

“Just like in other districts, the e-voucher system will also be implemented in North Western province, and to start with the programme will be rolled out in two districts,” Mr Shimabale said.

He said the programme would also give farmers a wider choice of government’s subsidised inputs, thus promoting diversification.

Mr Shimabale said the e-voucher beneficiary farmers should be registered to eliminate those who had previously abused the FISP.

He disclosed that Solwezi district alone would this season have a target beneficiary of 13,550 with a visa card valued at K 2,100 each.

The contribution from farmers is K 400 while K1, 700 is from government.

“These will be able to access agriculture equipment, seed, Fingerings, fertiliser, stock feed agro chemicals and many more depending on what a farmer wants,” Mr Shimabale said.

He urged farmers to embrace the e-voucher system whole heartedly and do away with any forms of doubt and apprehension as the programme had worked well in other districts.